Buhari: I Declared My Re-election Bid Before Travelling Because Speculation was Rife

Says negotiations ongoing for Leah Sharibu’s release

After failing to give tangible reasons why he wants to be re-elected for a second term in office, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in London explained that he chose the forum of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday to declare his intention before departing for the United Kingdom because speculation was rife over whether he would run or not.

According to the president’s media aide, Mr. Femi Adesina, Buhari also informed the Archbishop of Canterbury, His Grace, Justin Welby in London

when the latter visited him, that he will be re-contesting the 2019 presidential election because Nigerians appreciate what his government is doing.

Adesina said the president told the archbishop that his administration would focus on issues such as security, agriculture and anti-corruption, stating that he was seeking to be re-elected because most Nigerians appreciate what his government was doing.

“I declared before leaving home because Nigerians were talking too much about whether I would run or not. So, I felt I should break the ice. We have many things to focus on like security, agriculture, the economy, anti-corruption, and many others.

“We needed to concentrate on them and politics should not be a distraction. The majority of Nigerians appreciate what we are doing, and that is why I am re-contesting,” he was quoted as saying.

The statement said the president recounted some successes of his administration to his guest, with whom Adesina added he had built a deep friendship in recent times and was quite particular about the strides made in agriculture.

“We have cut the importation of rice by about 90 per cent, saving billions of dollars in the process. People who rushed into petrol money have now gone back to agriculture.

“Even professionals have gone back to the land. Nigeria should be able to feed itself comfortably soon. I am so pleased,” the president was further quoted.

On the war against the insurgency, Adesina said his principal stressed the need for continuous education for the people, “so that they can be free of religious manipulation,” noting that no true religion advocates the hurting or killing of the innocent.

He said Buhari, while responding to his guest’s comment on clashes between herdsmen and farmers in different parts of the country, said the problem preceded his administration.

“The problem is even older than us. It has always been there, but now made worse by the influx of armed gunmen from the Sahel region into different parts of the West African sub-region.

“These gunmen were trained and armed by Muammar Gadaffi of Libya. When he was killed, the gunmen escaped with their arms. We encountered some of them fighting with Boko Haram.

“Herdsmen that we used to know carried only sticks and maybe a cutlass to clear the way, but these ones now carry sophisticated weapons. The problem is not religious, but sociological and economic. But we are working on solutions,” he explained to Welby.

He also said Buhari lamented that “irresponsible politics” had been brought into the farmersherders’ crisis, but assured the archbishop that enduring solutions would be found and justice served for all concerned.

On Leah Sharibu, the schoolgirl from Dapchi still being held by Boko Haram terrorists because she refused to renounce her Christian faith, the statement quoted the president as saying: “We are managing the matter quietly. Making noise would not help.

“We are collecting as much intelligence as possible, working with the Red Cross and other international organisations. “There are too many fraudulent people around who claim they can do this and that.

“We won’t deal with them. That was how we got the Dapchi girls back, and the Chibok girls.”

It added that Welby said it was always a delight to see Buhari, whom he said he had tremendous respect for, adding: “You have my best wishes on your recent decision. I read your declaration speech.

“We are neutral as a church, but we will pray for you. Great statesmen are those who run for the good of their country. We will be praying for you.”

It also said Welby presented Buhari with a copy of his recent book, “Reimagining Britain - Foundations for Hope.”